Nigerian blogger regains freedom after two days in police detention

Nigerian blogger regains freedom after two days in police detention

Utitofon Ukpong, a blogger in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria’s South-south, was on Wednesday released on bail at a magistrate court in Uyo after spending two days in police detention.

Mr Ukpong publishes a popular blog, Sitippe Ke Akwa Ibom, which focuses on the happenings around Akwa Ibom state.

He was arrested on Monday and detained at the police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, for allegedly publishing defamatory materials against a senator and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, his lawyers told PREMIUM TIMES.

He was granted bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum showing evidence of ownership of property within the jurisdiction of the court, after the Chief Magistrate, Effiong Effiong, listened to the charge and the arguments from the prosecution and the defence counsels.

The case was adjourned to December 21 for trial.

Lawyers to the blogger told PREMIUM TIMES his arrest was a case of mistaken identity.

“Instead of letting him go with apologies, the police detained him while a fresh petition was quickly authored against him,” Ewa Okpo Edmund, one of the lawyers to the blogger, said.

Mr Edmund said the blogger was arraigned after much pressure was exerted on the police by his lawyers and the press community in Akwa Ibom.

“I cannot be intimidated or blackmailed. Whatever a man sows, that shall he reap,” Mr Ukpong wrote on Facebook, shortly after regaining his freedom.

The blogger was represented in court by Abasiodiong Ekpenyong, Toyo Jimmy, Ekanem Morgan, Ewa Okpo Edmund, and Ini Emembong, who is a lawyer, as well as the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom.

Polls: Beware of Voodoo Dollars in Circulation, EFCC Warns Nigerians

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, February 21, 2019 took its sensitization campaign to Bureaux de Change, BDC operators at the Wuse Zone 4 Office in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The EFCC team, which was led by ADC Aisha Larai Musa, Head, EFCC’s Creative Communications Unit, used the opportunity to warn the BDC operators on the dangerous trend of an influx of fake Dollar notes now in circulation.

Advising the operators to be at alert, Musa, urged them to be cautious because “as the electioneering period peaks, you are now a soft target for money laundering and circulation of fake dollar notes”.

Woman shares testimony of how she found snake inside her house where her children slept

A woman recently disclosed on Facebook God saved her children after she found a snake in her house.

The woman, who identified herself as Chisom Chiedozie said she found the snake inside her living room just few hours after she carried her children to their room from the mat they were sleeping on in the same room.

She shared:

“And you tell me there’s no God abi? just few minutes ago I saw this snake inside our living room. God has a way of saving his children, he is God and not man, this mat was on the floor few hours ago, my kids was laying on it then my kids slept I took them to the their room to sleep, what if the snake pentrated and bite them without me knowing, since they are asleep, what if the Gen is not on? What if I didn’t see it and it crawls inside the bedroom and hide somewhere?

My girl was even on the floor few minutes before we saw it, what would I have told her people, so many what if I swear, lately I enjoy sleeping on the mat cos of the hot weather, God saved me and my family, I can’t thank you enough father.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty.”